Parking meters



April 5, 1960 w. J. HERSCHEDE 2,931,479

PARKING METERS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. WALTER J. HERSCHEDE April 5, 1950 w. J. HERscHEDE n 2,931,479

PARKING METERS Filed April 17, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 JNVENTOR. WALTER J .HERSCHEDE April 5, 1960 w. J. HERSCHEDE PARKING METERS 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed April 17. 1958 INVENTOR. WALTER J. HERSCHEDE E57 50 2570. IT igll] At Iys.

United States Fatent PARKING METER Waiter J. Hersche-de, Cincinnati, Ohio, assigner to The .Herschede Hail Clock Company, Cincinnati, Ohio, a

corporation of Ohio Application April 17, 1958, Serial No. 728,951 s claims. (ci. '19in-'54) This invention relates to a 'coin-operated device. More particularly, 'this invention relates to the mechanism `for coin-operated devices such as parking meters or the like and to an improvement in the construction of the type or" device illustrated in the co-pending application of Robert J. Bailman, Serial No. 472,012, filed November 30, 1954, now Patent No. 2,837,195, issued June 3, 1953 and the co-pending application of Robert J. Ballrnan and William -N. Woodrui, Serial No. 423,934, led April 19, 1954, now Patent No. 2,839,174, issued June 17, 1958. Y

In this type oi parking meter, a coin, after entering the meter, falls or is driven to a coin stop on which the coin rests while coin-measuring apparatus measures the coin to determine the amount of parking time to be provided thereby. After the coin has been measured, the coin stop is withdrawn so that the coin can fall farther along a coin passageway. Then the coin stop is returned to the coin passageway to catch the next coin. in such meters coins 'can fall slowly in cold, humid weather because of the condensation of moisture inside the meter and because of the dampness of a coin, and the coin stop can catch the coin as it alis to disable the mechanism on the meter. An object 'of this invention is to provide a meter of this type in which the coin stop, upon retraction from the coin passageway, remains retracted for a suiicient time to let a coin fail therefrom even during cold or humid weather.

A lfurther object of this invention is to provide a device of this type in which the coin stop is retracted at `the end of a cycle of operation of the meter and remains retracted until another coin is inserted so that the coin stop is in coin-'catching position only while necessary to hold a coin at a coin measuring station.

further object or this invention is to provide a de'- vice oi this type in which insertion of a coin causes the coin stop to 'advance into the passageway into coin-engaging position.

The above and other objects and features of this invention will in part be apparent, and will in part be obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains from the following detailed description, and the drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a view in front elevation showing a coinoperated parking meter constructed in acc rdance with an embodiment of this invention, part of the casing ci' the meter being broken away to reveal interior construction;

Fig. 2 is a perspective View of the mechanism of the parking meter illustrated in Fig. l, the mechanism being removed from the casing, the index hands and one 'of the index dials of the meter being removed to reveal details of construction;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view in front elevation of the mechanism, the mechanism being shown in cocked position as a coin is being inserted into the coin slot thereof;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view in Vfront elevation, of the 2 mechanism showing the 'mechanism in the position vin which vthe trigger is advanced into engagement with the coin after the coin has advanced lto the coin stop; s n

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary v'view in rear elevation Aof vthe mechanism; Y v

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view in rear elevation 'of Athe mechanism with a coin 'partly inserted 'into lthe 'coin slot;

Fig. 7 is aview in 'section tak'en Vsubstantially oh line 7'-'7 vin Fig. 4, parts 'of a trigger member and stop operating vrnech'ans'r'n bein'g A'removed vfoi-clarity;V p

Fig. 8 is a 4'view inrfs'ecti'on ltaken along substantially the saine line as Fig. -7, but showing the mechanism t rest between cycles; Y p

Fig. 9 is an Venlarged view in side elevation of 'a'coin stop member `which forms part of vthe "mechanism, 'the coin stop member being removed therefrom;

Fig. 10 is a view in 'end elevation of lthe coin Vstop member;

Fig. 11 is a plan view ofthe coin stop member;

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary view in side velevation show'- ing the mechanism in an intermediate position;

Fig. 13 is a fragmentary view in section taken along the same line as in Fig. 7, showing the coin stop in 'fully Withdrawn position; and Y p l Fig. 14 is a view in section taken on the line 14-'-14 in Fig. 2. y

In the following description, and the drawings, like reference characters indicate like parts. r

In Fig. 1 a parking meter is shown which includes a housing lo mounted on a post 11. The lower portion of the housing is provided with door 12 which can be 'opened for removal of the coin box (not shown), The upper 'portion of thehousing includes a window 13, only a portion of which is shown, through which a dial 14 and an index hand 16 can be observed. The index hand is secured to a Vlever 17 which is rotatably mounted on a shaft 1S. When a coin is inserted through a coin slot 19 (Figs. 1 and 2) index hand 16 is movedA acrossl Athe dial 14 to a position such as that shown Fig. 1. The angular advance of the index hand is determined by the size of the coin inserted and the parking time setting of the mechanism. Y

As shown in Figs. 3, 5, and 6, the coin slot is provided with a gate 21 mounted to swing inwardly in the slot. When a coin 22 is inserted in coin slot 19 (as shown in Fig. 6), the coin engages gate Zliand swings the gate inwardly and upwardly from the Fig. 5 position to 'the position shown in Fig. -6. The gate is pivotally supported on a pin 23 carried by a saddle bell crank 24. As Athe coin moves into the coin slot 19, saddle bell crank 24 is swung upwardly to the position shown in Figs. 3 and 6. As crank 24 swings upwardly, it engages and raises a second saddle bell crank 26, as shown most clearly in Fig. 3. When the coin has passed the gate, the coin travels along a coin passageway 26a between side Wall members 26b and 26e (see Fig. 7).

The crank 26 carries a drive pin 27 (Figs. 3 and 4). The pin 27 proiects through a slot 2S in a drive link 29. When the coin is inserted into the coin slot and crank 26 is raised from the position shown in Fig. 2 to the position shoe/n in Fig. 3, the pin 27 slides along the slot 28to the position shown in Fig. 3. When the pin 27 is in this position, a power pawl 31, mounted thereon, Vis brought into engagement with a stop member 32 carried by the drive iink 29. At the same time, a drive spring 33 attached thereto, is stressed in tension. The drive spring urges the pin '27 downwardly and to the left, as shown in Figs. 2, 3, and 4 to cause a drive segment 3d to lswing in a counter-clockwise direction upon its pivot 36. The segment 34 is linked by a link 35 to a drive pawl ai'rn 36d (Fig. 4). Swinging of the segment 34 drives the mechanism of the parking meter causing the drive pawl arm 36a' The ratchet 3S, in turn, is mounted on the shaft 18, and

swinging of the ratchet causes the Shaft 18 and the index hand 16 (see Fig. 1) to swing in a clockwise direction to add time to that shown on the meter.

. Swinging of the segment 34 is restrained by an escapement'wheel 41 and an escapement piece 41a (Fig. 4). A governor locking lever 42 carries a locking pawl 42a which is engageable with the-governor wheel 41 to lock theV governor wheei. The governor wheel is connected to segment 34 byV appropriate gearing 42b so that when the governor locking lever 42 is withdrawn from the governor wheel 41 to the Fig. 12 position, the segment 34 can swing. The governor locking lever 42 is released by operationof a triggermember 43. lever is connected by a link 44a (Figs. 4 and 5) to a lever 44b`(Fig. 5). Lever 44b includes a lug 44e which is engageable by lug 44d at the upper end of the trigger member'43, so that, when the trigger member is swung counterclockwise about its pivot 44e, as shown in Fig. 5, the gov- 'ernor locking lever 42 is drawn to the left to release the governor wheel 41.

When the saddle bellcrank 24 is in the raised position shown in Fig. -6, the lever 44b is locked against swinging in governor'V releasing direction by a shoulder 44)c on the saddle bell-crank 24. Shoulder 44j engages the lug 44e when the crank 24 is raised. However, when the crank 24-is in the lowered position shown in Fig. 5, a notch 44g in the crank 24 isopposite lug 44e, and the governor can be released.

Thetrigg'er member 43 is pivotally mounted adjacent the coin passageway 26a on a trigger-carryingV lever 52. The trigger member 43 carries at its lower end, a slotted member 43a (see Fig. 4) which engages a head portion 4317 of a triggering finger 44. The triggering finger 44 is mounted in the coin passageway, as shown in Fig. 7, adjacent a coin stop member 46. When a coin 22a is on the coin stop member 46, the head portion 43b of the finger 44 can engage the coin, as shown in Fig. 4, causing the trigger to swing on its pivot 44e in a clockwise direction, as Shown in Fig. 4, and release the governor locking lever.

Details of construction of the coin stop member 46 are shown in Figs. 9, '10, and 1l. The coin stop member 46 has a body'48. At one end of the body 4S are projections 49 and 50, which are provided with aligned openings 51, and 51a, respectively. These openings receive a pin 54 (Figs. 7 and 8) on which the coin stop member is pivotally-mounted. The projection 50 also includes a second opening 57 (see Figs. vl0 and 11) in which a lug 58V (Fig. 3) at one end of the stop resetting member S9 is received. The coin stop member includes a coin catching arm 60 (Figs. 1()A and l1) having a portion which can extend crosswise of the coin passageway 26a in position to catch a coin 22a, as shown in Fig. 7. In addition, the coin stop member includes an arm 61 by which the coin stop member can be held in a retracted position, as shown in Fig. 8. Y AThev coin stop is advanced and retracted by the stop resetting member 59. The member 59 in turn, is actuated by a double armed crank 62 (Fig. 4). The crank 62 is mounted on a pivot 63. One arm 64 of the crank 62 is bifurcated. The bifurcations of crank arm 64 extend on opposite sides of a pin 66 which is mounted on segment gear 34. When the segment gear 34 swings from the Fig. 4 position to the Fig. l2 position, the crank 62 is swung clockwiseY to the Fig. 12 position.

The crank 62 carries an angle-shaped bracket including a slotted arm 67 and a main arm 68. The stop resetting member 59 extends through a slot 71 (Fig. 2) in the arm 6,7. A hook 7,2 on the member 59 engages the arm 63 of the bracket when'v the crank is in the Fig. l2 position.

The governor locking Y 4 Then, as the crank 62 returns counter-clockwise from the Fig. 12 position to the Fig. 2 position, the stop resetting member 59 is urged to the left as shown in Figs. 2 and 12, and the coin stop member 48 swings from the Fig. 12 position to the Fig. 13 position in which the coin stop nger 6i? is retracted from the coin passageway to let the coin 22b fall from the coin stop tinger. Normally the coin falls rapidly. However, if the coin is moist, or if the weather is cold and humid, the coin may fall more slowly. As the crank 62 swings further counter-clockwise (as shown in Fig. 12), the hookV on the stop resetting member 59 is released and the coin stop member can swing inwardly to the Fig. 8 position. Av spring 74 urges the coin stop member inwardly. In the Fig. 8 position, the arm 61 of the crank'resetting member engages a ange 76 which forms a part of the trigger member 43. in this position the stop finger 60 is held back sufiiciently to leave a space. in the passageway of Asuiicient width to permit a coin 22e to continue to fall even if the coin has not cleared the coin stop nger as in dicated by the showing of the coin in double-dot-dash lines in Fig. 8. I

When a new cycle of operation is to be initiated, a coin 22 is inserted into the coin slot, as indicated in Fig. 3. When the coin is inserted, a head 77 on the trigger carrying lever 52 is engaged by a lug 78 (Fig. 3) mounted on the saddle bell crank 24 and is swung back to the left about its pivot 79 as indicated in Fig.- 3 to move the trigger member 43 to the left, so that the flange 76 is freed from the arm 61 of coin stop member 46 and the coin stop swings to the Fig. 7 position in which the coin catching arm 60 thereof can catch the coin as it falls from the coin slot. Then the trigger carrying lever 52 is swung back to the right as shown in Fig. 3 under the urging of a spring 81 to advance the trigger member 43 and the triggering finger 44 to the Fig. 4position in which the triggering finger 44 engages the coin 22a to cause the trigger Vto release the governor lock in the manner already described.

InY this operation of the meter, the coin-catching arm is normally held in a retracted position, leaving a sucient space in the coin passageway Vso that a coin can continue to fall once the coin stop member has been retracted, and there is no impediment to' free falling of a coin until a new coin is inserted. Only when a new coin is inserted in the coin slot does the coin catching arm advance into coin-catching position. Then, when the coin-catching arm is withdrawn to permit the coin to advance farther down the coin passageway, the coincatching arm is maintained suiciently far back to permit the coin to continue to fall even if the coin is cold; and moist and falls slowly.

As shown in Fig. 14, the flange 76 has a cam face 81a. 4 When the arm 61 swings from the position shown in dot-dash lines in Fig. 14 to the full-line position the head 82 of the arm 61 engages the cam face 81a and moves the ange 76 to the left as shown in Fig. 14 suciently to permit the head 82 to pass the ange 76.

The device illustrated in the drawings and described above is subject to structural moditication Vwithout departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

vHaving described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A coin-operated device which comprises a member having a coin slot and a coin passageway for receiving a coin from the slot, a gate in said slot actuatable by the coin as the coin is inserted into the slot, a coin stop mounted adjacent the passageway and advanceable into and out of the passageway between an operative position in which the stop is adapted to hold a coin at a predetermined position in the passageway and a retracted position, means for holding the coin stop in retracted position, means for urging the coin stop into operative position, antrigger, atriggering rringer `connected to the trigger and engageable 'with thecoin when the' coin is at the predetermined position, means connected to the gate for retracting the trigger and for releasing the stopholding means when the gate is actuated by the coin being inserted into the slot, whereby the coin stop is advanced into operative position, means for urging the triggering nger into engagement with the coin when the coin is at the predetermined position, time registering means constructed and arranged to operate when the triggering tinger engages the coin, and means operated by the time registering means for withdrawing the coin stop from the coin passageway to permit the coin to fall from the coin stop, the stop-holding means holding the coin stop in retracted position until another coin is inserted in the coin slot.

2. A coin-operated device which comprises a member having a coin slot and a coin passageway for receiving a coin from the slot, a gate in said slot actuatable by the coin as the coin is inserted into the slot, a coin stop mounted adjacent the passageway and advanceable into and out of the passageway between an operative position in which the stop is adapted to hold the coin at a predetermined position in the passageway and a retracted position, means for urging the coin stop into operative position, a trigger, a triggering iinger connected to the trigger and engageable with the coin when the coin is at the predetermined position, means attached to the coin stop and engageable with the trigger for holding the coin stop in retracted position, means connected to the gate for retracting the trigger to release the stopholding means when the gate is actuated by the coin in the slot, whereby the stop is advanced into operative position, means for urging the trigger in a direction to bring the triggering iinger into engagement with the coin when the coin is at the predetermined position, time 6 registering means constructed and arranged to operate when the triggering finger engages the coin, and means operated by the time registering means for withdrawing the coin stop from the coin passageway to permit the coin to fail from the coin stop, the stop-holding means holding the coin sto-p in retracted position until another coin is inserted in the coin slot.

3. A coin-operated device which comprises a member having a coin slot and a coin passageway for receiving a coin from the slot, a gate in said slot actuatable by the coin as the coin is inserted into the slot, a coin stop mounted adjacent the passageway and advanceable into and out of the passageway between an operative position in which the stop is adapted to hold the coin at a predetermined position in the passageway and a retracted position, means for holding the coin stop in retracted position, means for urging the coin stop into operative position, a triggering means engageable with the coin when the coin is at the predetermined position, means connected to the gate for releasing the stop-holding means when the gate is actuated by the coin being inserted into the slot, whereby the coin stop is advanced into operative position, means for urging the triggering means into engagement with the coin when the coin is held on the stop, time registering means constructed and arranged to operate when the triggering means engages the coin, and means operated by the time registering means for withdrawing the coin stop from the passageway to permit the coin to fall from the coin stop, the stop-holding means holding the coin stop in retracted position until another coin is inserted in the coin slot.

No references cited. 

